The Vikings

[Snowdog]

Is anyone watching the History Channel's series The Vikings? I've been enjoying this series since it started. The second half of season 4 will be starting soon, and I have to say I can't wait! I end up watching the reruns or the ones I saved on the PVR.

[Alcuin]

It’s on the History Channel, but it seems more like an historical novel. Does it follow real history, or is it spun of whole cloth? And if it does follow actual history, how closely?

[Valandil]

From the little I've seen, I'd say it draws from history.

[Earniel]

There certainly are real historic events and people as well as characters from sagas and legends used in the series as far as I can see, but some are mixed in new ways, I think, and out of sequence historically. But from what I know they've certainly did their research.

For instance:

Paris was attacked and besieged at least two times by Vikings.

The island of Lindisfarne which had a monastery was raided and is seen as the start of the Viking raids. (In the series the character Athelstan comes from here.) BUT if I'm not mistaken, there is like a century between the attack on Lindisfarne and the siege of Paris and therefor couldn't have been done by the same characters. In the series, they're maybe ten/fifteen years apart.

Ragnar and Ivar the Boneless are names I remember from Nordic myth, but it remains unclear whether their myths are tied real historic figures. So I'm guessing there will be more characters that come from Nordic myths.

Rollo is based on a historic figure that did besiege Paris and (like the seer predicted in the series) has quite a big historic impact there. (If the name doesn't ring any bells now, I won't spoil.)

The riddle-test Ragnar sets for Aslaug is something I recall as directly out of Nordic myth books but I can't recall if they are in origin part of the Rangar-sagas or are added because they're pretty nifty.

The production values are quite high. Settings, customes, the vast aerial sweeps of Paris under siege... is all pretty impressive.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Alcuin

It’s on the History Channel, but it seems more like an historical novel. Does it follow real history, or is it spun of whole cloth? And if it does follow actual history, how closely?

I don't think the producers ever claimed that it was a documentary. Just because History Channel is in on producing it doesn't mean it has to follow history verbatim according to Viking sagas. It is a drama. It is based on history, and they have used the historical points well in their production. The timelines and costuming and the characters aren't 100% accurate, etc.. Still, it is quite entertaining. I also think Kathryn Winnick would have made an most excellent Eowyn.

[Insidious Rex]

Ive enjoyed Vikings since it began but I feel like they have been getting more and more over the top season to season. The story lines and drama (and brutality) seems purposefully over amplified at times and I found myself rolling my eyes more often and less eager to see what happens next. Im going to guess a lot of that is a feeling that they need to compete with Game of Thrones for violence and drama and intrigue.

The same is true for the program Outlander which I think is an absolutely excellent show but shockingly extreme in some episodes to the point where I cant think of many MOVIES that have pushed the envelope so far. Im no prude as far as sexuality OR violence but some of those episodes at the end of the first season... I needed weeks to recuperate before I was interested in watching more... And this is a series designed for "aging house wives and romance novel readers"!

[Mari]

I read the books and have started watching Outlander. So far I like what they've done with the books, but I'm only at episode 5 or 6 or so.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by Mari

I read the books and have started watching Outlander. So far I like what they've done with the books, but I'm only at episode 5 or 6 or so.

Let me know what you think of the last 2 episodes once you get there...

[Butterbeer]

ok ..just slightly off topic here

Have any of you seen 'the Last Kingdom'?


Link@ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4179452/

Its just re-showing on BBC currently so i'm catching up on it online. Saw it first time round and liked it.
Might also be available on bbc america??

[Valandil]

I liked the old movie from the 50's - with Ernest Borgnine, Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas.

[Snowdog]

Well.... like it, hate it, say what you will, it is one of the more entertaining shows on TV these days. Like the 1958 movie, this show is a drama in a historical setting, not a historical documentary. Which reminds me of the one season TV show 'Tales of the Vikings'.

[Earniel]

I'm finding the last season a lot less entertaining, though. The Wessex drama bores me already. I'm starting to find all the ramped-up sex and bloodsplattering is starting to drag the storyline rather than help it along. And I'm beginning to see more plot holes and odd character actions that only points towards writers not paying enough attention.

Still, the costumes and props are awesome as usual. I want Lagertha's wardrobe.

[Snowdog]

I think overall they did a good job with the whole series. I kind of got screwed on the last ten episodes as our free-to-air TV station SBS had broadcast rights and I watched it and caught a couple I missed on their streaming service. But they didn't keep the shows on streaming very long, so once I got my wife interested enough to watch it, we binged it on Netflix but they only had the first ten episodes of the last 'season'. Couldn't find the 1st ten on any streaming service as everything pointed to SBS having the rights, but they took it off their streaming service.

Oh, why call it a 'half season' when the gaps were so long, and many other shows have 'seasons' of lest than ten episodes. the term 'season' as far as TV shows go is pretty much meaningless anymore.

[Earniel]

Amen. Lots of older series have uneven numbers of episode across the seasons due to funding andwhatnot. And not every season needs a cliffhanger, which are usually also more about funding than the audience anyway.

I agree they did alright across the whole series. Some parts lagged, some were awesome. Concluding some of storylines, like Ivar's, felt a little bit rushed.

But the props and costumes, aw hell, they were awesome always.